


The Flowers of Tenebrae

by BuddyBuddyPalBuddy



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: A Bit of Blasphemy, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Flowers, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret Lives, Sylleblossoms (Final Fantasy XV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:20:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29720592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuddyBuddyPalBuddy/pseuds/BuddyBuddyPalBuddy
Summary: Luna survived the Leviathan, and lived to see her home burn.At least Noct is there with her
Relationships: Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12
Collections: Lunoct Valentine Weekend 2021





	The Flowers of Tenebrae

They stopped the train to let the civilians out at Tenebrae. It was the best decision they could make, Noctis ordering the conductor to stop while Luna went through the train, healing whomever she could. And she promised each and every one of them that they would be safe in Tenebrae. They looked at her with big, hopeful eyes, and Luna felt grateful to be alive in that moment. Tenebrae would keep them safe. 

When the train stopped, Tenebrae burned.

Ash fell like snow from the darkened sky, smoke billowing in thick clouds. Luna could almost see the fire burning, nestled in the heart of the castle she once called home. The civilians rushed off the train in a confused hoard, a few of them bumping into her. She didn’t move. She could hear their panicked whispers, children crying, and her home burned.

Luna closed her eyes and tried to imagine the place she’d grown up loving, the place she’d met Noct at, but no matter how tightly she squeezed her eyes and prayed to gods who didn’t seem to listen, she still smelt the smoke. It burned her lungs. Just like drowning. For a moment, her mind took her back to the shrine to Leviathan, a wall of water slamming into her as the world around her crumbled like a pastry, not being able to breathe, lungs burning.

Her legs had carried her across the bridge from the train station. Mud squelched under her shoes as she walked, the feathery petals of Sylleblossoms leaving dew drops on her pants. People walked around in an almost casual way, as if her home wasn’t burning, as if she hadn’t lied to all these people, told them they’d be safe and protected. If fate was written by the gods, she’d have to have a word with them. Curing the scourge was one thing, but endangering the lives of all these innocents…

“Luna?” Noct asked quietly. Luna flinched as he set his hand on her shoulder, then sighed. She took his hand.

“I’m okay, love, just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Blasphemous things,” she said solemnly. Noctis laughed awkwardly, as if she was joking. Maybe he was just trying to lighten the mood.

He squeezed her hand in his.

“I’m sorry. I really am. I… I’ve lost my home, too, and it hurts so much. And well, uh, I didn’t move on? But I tried to ignore it, since I had to. It sucks.”

Luna couldn’t help but give an amused chuckle, gently squeezing Noct’s hand back. Noct never was good with words, awkward at the best of times, but he was always sincere. 

“I don’t know what upsets me more,” Luna mumbled, “seeing my home burn, or knowing that these people have to travel even more just to be safe.”

Noct let go of her hand, instead setting both of his hands on her shoulders. They felt warm, even through the fabric of the black jacket she wore. He looked at her with a soft expression— thats all she could think of it as. Not pitying, or sad, just soft. 

“Luna, I am so, so sorry. If it makes you feel any better, though, Aranea is going to get these people out of here. She has a drop ship, and can get them somewhere safe. After that, we can start making our way to Graela, the Crystal—“

“—and I can give the Draconian a piece of my mind,” Luna interrupted. Noct made a face.

“Huh?”

She looked at Noct. Noct stepped forward, one of his hands setting itself at the small of her back. She stepped forward, letting Noct envelop her in a warm, familiar hug, the smell of the outdoors plastered to his pale skin. She buried her face in his shoulder, trying to get the smoke out of her nose. Noct gently pet her hair, occasionally tangling his fingers in the silky strands.

“Please don’t do anything stupid,” he mumbled. Luna couldn’t help but laugh.

“Maybe I am a good influence on you,” Luna said. Noct huffed.

“I’m serious, dear… why the Draconian, though?”

Luna breathed out against Noct’s shoulder. 

“Bahamut is the one who wove this fate of ours, the one who planned all. I was meant to die while making the covenant with Leviathan, and yet, I survived. I’m afraid that the lives of these people are at risk because I avoided fate. When I confront the Draconian, I will tell him to leave the people alone.”

A beat of silence passed between them.

“Luna,” Noctis whispered. She felt his breath against her ear.

“I am the people’s Oracle. A healer. It is my duty to protect the innocent, no matter what the cost is. If it is my own life, then so be it.”

Noct squeezed her even tighter, and she could feel him tremble ever so slightly.

“Yes, you’re their Oracle, but you’re my Luna,” he said hoarsely, “the Luna who told me all I know about gods and stars and all that. The Luna that showed me all the secret places in Tenebrae, the Luna who sent me messages and pressed sylleblossoms in a book, the Luna who can talk to gods without flinching,” Noct’s voice wavered as he sniffled against her, “my best friend, the love of my life. My Luna. I’m not letting you sacrifice yourself.”

“Me neither,” Luna said, voice thick with tears.

“If Bahamut is going to hurt people just because we don’t do what he says,” Noct whispered intensely, “then let’s kill him.”

Luna pulled away from his arms, blinking up at him in shock. He had that determined look on his face, the one he got while fighting Leviathan, or when they were playing Kings Knight on the train. Any question of his sincerity died on her lips. When Noct got that look, he would do whatever he could to reach his goal.

“Noct—“

“—We can commune with the other gods. Tell them that we don’t want to follow Bahamut’s fate. Convince them to join us, fight with us—“

“Noct.”

“I’m being serious, Luna, I mean, Gladio, Prompto, Iggy, you and I could certainly fuck up a god—“

“Adagium could help us.”

Noct stared at her in a way that made her wonder if there was anything behind those eyes of his. 

“Who?”

Luna sighed. 

“Adagium. The carrier of the scourge, the accursed one. Ardyn Izunia.”

Noct froze.

“No way.”

“Yes, way,” Luna replied.

“And here I thought he was a creepy old guy!” Noctis exclaimed. Luna smiled, tilting her head a little bit.

“Well, you got that part right. He’s an immortal creepy old guy. So the next time we meet him, we must make it known we’re keen on killing the Draconian.”

“And what do we do until then?”

Luna sighed. She looked at the burning ruins of her home, then down to her feet. Even amongst the ruin, Sylleblossoms grew from the wet earth, as bright and persistent as ever. Just like they did when they were children, and somehow Luna knew that they always would be there. Even if it wasn’t quite the same, the flowers would dot the land of Tenebrae. 

She crouched down, and gently plucked a sylleblossom from the earth.

“We stand by one another, my love.” 

Noct gently took the flower from her hand, a small smile gracing his face. He leaned in, and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“We will, we’ll be together. No matter what.”

He said it like a promise. Luna looked over at the burning castle of Tenebrae, then back at Noct. 

She kissed him as softly as she could, their lips hardly ghosting together, and thought of a perfect world where every promise would be kept, and every flower would bloom forever.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr @palpalbuddypal


End file.
